Ambush Candle Co.

Written by Brad Richardson

Winter Issue '24 - Online Shop

I've been asked what my dream job would be, and quite honestly, work is not something I dream of. From an early age, I’ve run a series of small artistic businesses to steer clear of the traditional 9-to-5 job. Like many, I’ve always been deeply inspired by art and nature—two forces that I believe are the most cohesive elements of life and culture. Growing up in northern Illinois, I spent most of my time camping, playing in bands, and creating artwork on my computer. My passion for graphic design first sparked when I took a class on the Adobe Suite during high school. I started designing merch for local bands and small businesses, which introduced me to the creative world and allowed me to gain some hands-on experience. 

As I honed my drawing skills, I became captivated by the artwork of Norman Collins, famously known as Sailor Jerry. A legendary tattoo artist based in Hawaii, Sailor Jerry’s iconic American Traditional style—with its bold lines, limited color palette, and striking simplicity—began weaving its way into my graphic design work. I got my first tattoos at a young age, and even learned to create tattoos myself. By 20, I was tattooing friends, and soon enough, I had built a sort of “basement tattoo empire.” It may sound questionable, but I went on to complete hundreds of tattoos over a few years—nothing too complex, and all within my comfort zone and preferred style. Tattooing allowed me to pay off my car, invest in a quality computer for graphic design, and even covered touring expenses for my band. The artistic freedom and creative variety I explored during this time of my life established values that have stuck with me to this day.

Around the age of 21, I delved into woodworking. I started building tables, chairs, cabinets, and other furniture pieces. It wasn’t long before I rented a small workshop and began taking contract work, including bulk production of cedar mailboxes and posts for a local company. The mailbox gig wasn’t particularly thrilling, but it allowed me to fund my workshop and keep developing custom furniture. One day, while making a rustic hallway chest, I decided to try forging my own hinges and hardware. That moment was a turning point for me. I enjoyed the process so much that I went on to forge woodworking chisels, and eventually, I began forging knives for my camping trips.

Making custom knives became a serious creative outlet for me. The attention to detail and full customization involved immediately grabbed my attention. Over the next few years, I transitioned into becoming a full-time bladesmith. The demand for my knives grew, and I slowly moved away from woodworking, tattooing, and graphic design to focus solely on custom knives. I published a book on knife-making, which was well-received, and launched a YouTube channel where I filmed knife-making tutorials along with camping trips to showcase my hand-forged knives being used in the field. As my channel gained traction, I was offered the opportunity to appear on two seasons of Alone on The History Channel, followed by an appearance on Forged in Fire.

Despite all the various business ventures I was running and the incredible opportunities I was able to be part of, graphic design remained a passion of mine, although it had taken a backseat to other projects. Wanting to reintroduce myself to the design world, I started a company called Heartlander Supply, where I combined a few of my skills. I created physical prints of my artwork and incorporated them into handmade wooden frames, camp flags, pennants, and other home decor items. Over time, this project evolved into something larger, and I began putting artwork onto other products such as clothing, candle labels, and various home goods. Eventually, candles became the core product of the company. The versatility of candle label design and the wide variety of fragrances allowed for endless creative branding opportunities. As the company developed, Heartlander Supply rebranded into Ambush Candle Co., a name that better suited the new direction. “Ambush” is a term for a group of tigers, which I liked for its fierce imagery. The shorter name also seemed more memorable.

In 2018, I moved to Traverse City, the birthplace of my mother and home to many of my family members. My ancestors built a "charming" cottage on Lake Leelanau in 1916, where I’ve spent my summers since childhood. My annual visits to Northern Michigan have deepened my love for the great outdoors, and nature has always been a rich source of inspiration for my art. Living in a region as breathtaking as Northern Michigan feels like having an endless source of creative fuel. Shortly after moving to Traverse City, I opened a retail store specializing in artisan goods. The goal was to create a platform to sell Ambush products alongside my handcrafted knives and furniture. Running the store for nearly five years was a rewarding experience. I connected with incredible local artists, business owners, and learned invaluable lessons in marketing and retail. After years of sourcing products for the retail store, I realized the potential in offering Ambush products to other businesses, and not only direct to consumers. Rather than relying on a single retail location, I began expanding into other stores by offering wholesale pricing. This decision significantly broadened my market reach, and Ambush quickly grew beyond the local community.

One of my greatest entrepreneurial challenges has been navigating the world of marketing. I understood how to design a product line, create a brand identity, set up a website, and generate product listings, but none of that automatically translated into sales. I leaned heavily on conversations with other business owners and devoured books on social media, email marketing, and business finance to sharpen my approach. 

Selling online wasn’t as straightforward as relying on foot traffic, and trade shows were expensive. Cold emailing was intimidating at first, but I finally found success with it after quite a bit of trial and error. As I built connections with larger companies, my wholesale business began to grow. After establishing a local presence, I expanded Ambush Candle Co. through online outreach. It’s been a slow climb, and while I admit it’s still very challenging, seeing the brand grow has been incredibly rewarding.

Private label work has also become a key part of the business. From clothing brands to resorts, we’ve created unique products for a range of clients. This allows me, at times, to offer graphic design services in addition to product production. Collaborating with other companies to bring their vision to life has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of the business. Whether it’s designing for a new product line or developing a brand identity, I love the creative challenge of helping businesses grow through design.

I’ve built this business to be fully flexible, with most orders coming in online, I’m free from the constraints of a traditional storefront or service model. Having a private warehouse means I don’t have to meet with customers daily, allowing me to set my own hours and even choose my own location to operate from. Traverse City has been the perfect home base—just a short drive from trailheads, beaches, canoe launches, and stunning scenic routes. The area’s restaurants, cafes, breweries, distilleries, and wineries are unbeatable. Plus, being centrally located in the Midwest is ideal for shipping nationwide.

While candles are central to Ambush Candle Co., they aren’t what drives me. My true passion lies in design, branding, and the art of storytelling through products. Ambush is simply a vehicle for that creativity at the moment, and given how oversaturated the candle market is, I’ve learned that standing out requires exceptional design and marketing. Most customers only glance at a product before deciding to pass on it, so creating a visually compelling product is crucial. And in terms of marketing, the most successful approach I’ve found is keeping things simple and personal—reaching out directly to companies I want to work with and fostering genuine relationships.

Ambush Candle Co. has become a reflection of my love for art, design, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship. Gaining traction with a small business is no simple task. Working hard is obviously important amongst small business owners, but learning to take risks and becoming numb to the failures has been far more beneficial to me. I’ve been riding a constant wave of discomfort to get to where I am now—I just don’t notice the water anymore. Every wave has helped build something I’m proud to be part of. I’ve dipped my toes into a wide variety of creative outlets and expect that I’ll continue falling down the rabbit hole of the art world as the years go on. For me, entrepreneurship is freedom. Though it's often overwhelming and full of uncertainty, I’ve found I’m most creative when I’m making the rules.

BIO

Brad Richardson is a Traverse City-based artist and entrepreneur. The great outdoors is generally where he prefers to be, whether on a walkabout along the river or painting somewhere off the trail. He enjoys history books, playing the guitar, sharing stories over a good cigar. and traveling as often as he can. 

Winter Issue '24 - Online Shop